Shades of Red
by jasonxpiper510
Summary: "Cloud didn't have a favorite color. But if he had to choose now, the answer is obvious." Cloud looks back on the life he had and the moments leading up to his most important one. Summary is kind of lame, but the story is cute. One-shot. Rated T for language (Cid and Barrett are included after all)!
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone! This is a long one-shot fanfic that I literally thought of on my drive home, and wrote in a few hours. It's riddled with Tifa and Cloud, but it's definitely Cloud-centric. Hope you guys like it. And the characters in Final Fantasy VII don't belong to me, they belong to Square Enix and its creators :)

Shades of Red

Cloud didn't have a favorite color. To him, color wasn't vibrant. It wasn't anything special. It was a concept that was taught in preschool in the form of ROYGBIV. It was as predictable and insignificant as Marlene's activity book where you color the leaves green because the instructions said to color all the number 2's. The kind of person he was and the hellish life he lived, didn't get to have the luxury of thinking about such mundane things.

Though _if_ he were to have any sort of color, to have _experienced_ it as if color were a personality, then the one that appeared to him the most in his life was red.

Red.

Candy apple red. The candy apple he received from a certain childhood friend on Hallow's Eve. He didn't know it until recently, when they reminisced over long-ago memories. He had been a ghost that year—a single mother couldn't afford anything other than a white sheet and scissors. It had been embarrassing enough not to be invited to trick-or-treat with the popular kids, but to gallivant in nothing but a raggedy bedspread had been mortifying. Still, his mom plucked him out of his room and booted him to the streets, promising him he'd have a good time. If only he had the chance to thank his mom. Stopping door to door, he had to watch as other kids got five pieces of candy while he only got one. He was about to call it quits, until he reached _her_ door. Cloud was surprised, because there she was answering the door instead of getting treats like the rest of the kids. Tentatively, he said, "trick-or-treat." She looked at him oddly, before smiling and running inside the kitchen. A moment later, she came back out with the most mouthwatering red apple he'd ever seen drizzled with caramel. "Here you go," she said. "Happy Halloween!" Years later, as Tifa and Cloud watched Denzel and Marlene dress up in costumes, Tifa secretly smiled to Cloud, saying that the apple from many Halloween's ago was the reddest and juiciest of them all—and she gave it to him willingly, because he was Cloud. His eyes widened in surprise, asking her how he knew it was him. She laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Oh how can I not notice? Your spikes poking out of the sheet gave everything away."

Magenta crayons. Who knew something so simple could possibly be so dangerous? Well, when you were the guardian of Barrett Wallace's daughter, you were screwed. It was the day before Valentine's Day, and Marlene was panicking. Sadly, she had misplaced her magenta crayon, and she was upset that she couldn't make her special Valentine cards for her classmates. Barrett, a sucker for a tear-streaked Marlene had forced Cloud to go out into the freezing February night, insisting that his precious baby girl desperately needed the writing tool. "Why couldn't she just use the red crayon," Cloud asked like an idiot. You'd think that it was the murderous glare Barrett was giving Cloud (wasn't helping that he was tapping his gunned arm against the bar counter) that made him feel a pang of fear, but the steely look that Marlene was throwing his way was enough to make him grab his jacket and flee the scene. Forty-five minutes and three stores later, he had come back with the package, receiving praise and kisses from the little five-year-old girl. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you Cloud! You're the best ever!" Cloud merely ruffled her hair, thinking the 35-degree weather wasn't too bad if he got to see her smile. That is, until the next day. Barging in after school, Marlene raced inside to greet Cloud and pounced happily on her papa, telling them all about her wonderful Valentine's Day. Her cards had been a smash hit, she said, and all her classmates loved her little 2x4 pieces of paper decorated with hearts and flowers. "See," Barrett chuckled, "I knew that magenta crayon was worth it if all yer classmates saw how creative ya are sweetie." But Marlene looked at him confused. "For my classmates? No they only got red hearts. The magenta one was for Billy," she gushed before she bounced off her papa and headed for her room. Silence filled the bar, and Cloud stood frozen behind the counter. Finally, Barrett turned around and faced Cloud. "You have three seconds to get out of this room before I beat yer spiky ass to the ground," he said quietly, slowly getting up. "What me? What did I—" Cloud had started. "1." "Barrett what the f—" "2."

Fire red. He could still feel the heat licking his face as he slowly stirred awake from unconsciousness. All around him, flames engulfed Nibelhiem, making the sky a bright red and shielding the usual stars that people would only see in a small, mountainous town. He raced inside his house, not caring that his hands were seared from the fire as he pushed the door open to save his mother. She would not be the only one that he lost dearly that night. Running out of the town to track down Sephiroth, Cloud's heart beat fast, determination fueling every step of his aching feet and fear nearly knocking his breath away. He'd get him. He'd kill him. If he couldn't bring them back, Cloud would defeat Sephiroth. Since the massacre, Cloud hated fire. There was only destruction, hopelessness, death. Even when he had been given materia to infiltrate ShinRa's Mako reactors during his early AVALANCHE days, he had instead preferred the lightning or ice materia to use. Never again did he want to see fire. But that all changed when fire became kinder, friendly, a true ally—a kind of flame that protected him when things got rough, when they journeyed across the entire planet to track down Sephiroth, and even being there for him when the final battle against their sworn enemy occurred. Cloud didn't need to be afraid of fire anymore, because ever since he rescued him in Hojo's lab along with Aerith, Cloud saw fire in a different light. Of course, that same flame was as ferocious as its owner's bite and claws. Okay, maybe Cloud was still a _little_ scared.

Scarlet. He loved watching it as it graced her porcelain cheeks. She tried to hide it a lot, and it always disappointed Cloud. What was the point of holding the groceries when they went shopping, or sitting by the fire as he gently rubbed her feet after a long day of bartending, or softly caressing her face as he said, "I love you," when she would smile shyly and look away in embarrassment due to her flushed cheeks? Sure he loved the woman with all of his heart, but he was a man as well and there was something satisfying in seeing the woman you love physically react to something that you did. It made him feel happy, lightweight. As if he finally did something right with his life. So when the day came when he was kissing her on the lips and they pulled away, he said, "don't" as she attempted to look down to cover her face. "What?" she asked in confusion. "Don't look away," Cloud explained as he stroked her silky tresses, "because you're beautiful when you blush scarlet."

Crimson. Gushing out of the holes that peppered his best friend's dead body. Crimson. A wave of blood trapped and leaking through the debris of Sector 7; blood that belonged to Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie. Crimson. Appearing on his mother's grave face along with Tifa's father… and Tifa herself. Crimson. A trail slowly making its way down the altar and dropping onto the lake, tainting the tranquility of the water with the blood of the last remaining Centra. Crimson seemed to be everywhere—is still everywhere. On his clothes, his face, his hands. Cloud knew that he could live to be 100 years old, and still have the stain of crimson etched onto his mind and soul. There were a lot of regrets in his life, and it was those regrets that costed him the lives of many innocent people. If only he could cleanse himself of the crimson blood, forgetting everything that happened as if it were just a sick, twisted nightmare. He didn't deserve it though. No matter what people said, he would still feel the burden of his friends and family's fates. It was his cross to carry, and he'd live with it for the rest of his days.

Pure red. Now someone would probably think, "'Pure red' is not a shade," but Cloud Strife can vouch with one hundred percent certainty that there is such a thing. Because that's what he saw when he came face to face with Sephiroth alone. Their long-awaited battle came to an end, as Cid made the final cut to defeat Sephiroth once and for all. The group watched in wonder as Sephiroth's winged form slowly disintegrated, bits and pieces of it blowing into the swirling vortex behind him. There were different reactions all around him. He saw the tears fall from Tifa's face as she realized her vengeance for her father was finally accomplished. Vincent merely stood rigidly, but his onyx eyes were deep and sorrowful, no doubt thinking about his dearest Lucrecia. Cid just said, "about damn time," before collapsing to the ground and wheezing from all the effort. But collectively, everyone was relieved that one step to saving the world had now been fulfilled. At least, that's what Cloud thought. As he climbed out of the crater, he felt it—the presence that had been haunting him for the past five years. He turned around and felt himself being pulled down. He was omniscient, gliding through the Lifestream as if he was pure energy. Then suddenly there Sephiroth was in the darkest corners, blade poised and ready. Cloud began to prepare, but abruptly froze when he saw the barest hints of a smirk. For some reason, Cloud's life flashed before his eyes: his hometown, his mother, Tifa, his failure to make it to SOLDIER, Zack, the flames, the sound of the buster sword piercing Sephiroth's flesh, AVLANCHE, Biggs, Wedge, Jessie, Red XIII, Yuffie, Vincent, Cid, Cait Sith, the crimes ShinRa committed against the planet, the cries of the planet, the red sky caused by Meteor's descent, the stars above the water tower, Aerith's death… Everything flashed in a millisecond. Then, everything turned pure red. Cloud felt his body bulking up, his senses heightening, the latent power he never knew he had crescendo into one final attack move as he charged his former idol: Omnislash. Pure red felt like forever in a split second, as the red finally faded away to white and Sephiroth was finally no more. Cloud looked away from the blinding light, but then he saw an outreached hand… her hand.

Pink. That had been her color. She was always beautiful in her pink dress. Still beautiful, actually, whenever he dreamed of her. Luckily for him and his friends, Cloud had a couple of pictures of a smiling Aerith: one as a group when they were in the Golden Saucer and Yuffie had managed to swipe a very expensive camera from a poor, unsuspecting tourist; and another frame of her that sat neatly on top of the fireplace. That was Cloud's favorite picture of her, where she was lying in a field of grass and surrounded by an abundance of rainbow-streaked flowers. She had been sleeping at the time after a long morning of traveling and Cloud had the responsibility of waking her up. Seeing her, her lips in a slight smile, made Cloud stand there for a few seconds in complete captivation. She looked so angelic, so at peace, that Cloud didn't want to ruin the moment. Using the stolen camera, he quickly shot a picture of her, though he knew the film would never do her justice. Right afterwards, Yuffie had called for him which made Aerith sit up in arousal. "What'd I miss?" she said, yawning and stretching her dainty limbs and causing her pink dress to rise up just enough to make Cloud blush and look away. "Nothing," he replied. She spotted the camera and smiled, saying that they should all take another group photo together before they left for the Temple of the Ancients. He shrugged, telling her that there was no more film. "It's okay. We'll make more memories when we defeat Sephiroth," she affirmed. On the anniversary of her death, Cloud sat in her church and briefly wondered where he would be if he had arrived one minute sooner before Sephiroth murdered her. Sometimes, he wondered if they'd even be together, but he'd quickly dismiss the thought, knowing that thoughts like that were pointless. Besides, he already had a good life, and he was lucky to be in the position that he was today: alive and a guardian to two beautiful children. And having a best friend that was waiting for him back home. He sat there, mulling over his friendship with Aerith, and really just celebrating the life of a person that saved him, saved the planet, and saved a future in which everyone could rebuild and live in peace. It was easier now not to cry when he thought of Aerith (or Zack), because he knew she would always watch over him and the people she loved. Thinking back to the picture of her in that beautiful pink dress, looking like an angel, he realized that she was now the angel that she was always meant to be. Fingering the velvet box in his pocket, he looked up and asked, "So what do you think? You think I'm ready?" The immediate sunlight that filled the church and casting thousands of diamond sparkles across the holy water was his answer. He smiled, standing up and plucking a few yellow flowers to give to Tifa and Marlene. "Thank you Aerith, for everything."

Burgandy. It had been a few days after the defeat of Sephiroth and the fall of Meteor. Well, to put it in a more accurate context, it had been a few days since Aerith summoned the Lifestream to save the planet. Cloud and the crew were dropping off Red XIII, and Cloud found himself sitting on one of the balconies defaced on the cliffs. The sunset illuminated Cosmo Canyon, making the burgundy cliffs look like more of a bright red. Soon the sun set, and the cliffs returned back to its brownish-red hue, cooling down the soil and alerting the fireflies of its time to roam around. Using his fingers, Cloud bunched up the dirt in his hands and held it in front of him. The planet was saved. The place where he was sitting, the gateway between his world and the spiritual world, was being protected by his friend in the afterlife. He sighed, watching the dirt blow away as the night breeze started to appear. Defeating Sephiroth and saving the fragile planet he was on, Cloud hoped the best for himself in the future. He led such a hard life, with too much turmoil and violence that any one person should experience. More importantly, he hoped that one day he could receive forgiveness for the people he let down. Suddenly, he heard laughter below him. Looking down, he spotted Tifa speaking to Yuffie and Reeve, Yuffie doing some bizarre dance. _I think it will be all right this time. Because you've always been with me._ Smiling, Cloud started to believe again. He didn't just save the planet for no reason, he did it for something personal… for her. If Tifa was around, then he would be fine. Always. Lying down, Cloud let felt the planet surround him, and for once, it wasn't crying.

Red wine. There are moments in life that change a person forever. Cloud himself had been through plenty. But in this moment, as he looks into the red orbs belonging to the love of his life, Cloud had to say that there was nothing even remotely close that topped this. Her red eyes were shining with tears. They were the same orbs that delighted in giving him that beautiful candy apple. He saw them laced with sadness when he walked out of their small town all those years ago, and then again almost lifeless when she was brutally stabbed by Sephiroth. They appeared again when he opened his eyes to find them both wet from the rain, Tifa studying him carefully outside the train station in Midgar. Her wine-tinted eyes were his constant companion, never leaving him for a second even when they reached the Northern Crater and he was foolishly manipulated by Sephiroth to hand over the Black Materia. Her eyes never judged, never stopped caring, and always looked out for him even when he hit the lowest point. His oldest friend was there with him in the Lifestream, piecing his life—their lives back together, never giving up on him when everyone else settled for "there's nothing we can do." Tifa saved him in more ways than one: mind, body, and spirit. She was the beginning, and always will be the center of his reasoning, and she would always be the person he lived for. He constantly strived to be the man that she deserved, because god knows that Tifa should never settle for something less. She was his rock, the mother figure of Denzel and Marlene, the person with eyes that would thoroughly scan her children's homework for any mistakes or be full of mirth when those same kids pulled a fast one on their Aunt Yuffie. She gave him another chance at life and she was the woman that loved him despite all the things he put her through. But Cloud wouldn't do that anymore. He ran away before and hurt the person he cared about most, but he swore he'd never do it again. He didn't want to, because his life was now hers. So as he was down on one knee, he looked into the red-wine eyes of his girlfriend. Her eyes are amazing; they're fantastic; by all rights, the color of her eyes should be its own category. There was nothing in this world that was as lovely as her eyes, or soft, or gentle. All the rubies in the world didn't have the fraction of the shine her eyes had; the shine that was always emitted in his direction. And now those eyes were brimming with tears of joy as she says the one word that changed his life forever. "Yes."

Cloud didn't have a favorite color. But if he had to choose now, the answer is obvious.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi everyone! Sorry it's been such a long time. First of all, I just want to say thanks for the reviews for "Shades of Red!" It means a lot and I'm glad that this story was as enjoyable to you as it was to write. :)

Now I noticed a lot of reviews were asking what I think would happen if Aerith were alive. Do I think that Cloud and Aerith would have been together? I wanted to answer you all individually, but I really don't know how and this is the best way I can think of to address this.

To be frank, the answer is that I really don't know. I've always been super pro-Cloti so I want to say NEVER haha, but I just think it's stupid to think that way. The thing is, I do think Cloud loved Aerith. I don't think in a romantic way, but he definitely loved her as a friend and a comrade. And even if his memories were mixed up with Zack, I do think he found her attractive. I mean, all the ladies in the group were pretty ladies. So to say that there was no possibility of them getting together if Aerith were alive is really just me being blissfully ignorant hehe. And it's a disservice to Cloud, and really, all the characters if I wouldn't be honest about it. So I think that's why I wrote Aerith in that way, because I wanted to be as truthful as I could to character, but not make it seem like he was completely in love with her.

But I think what it comes down to—what I really wanted to point out in my story—is the fact that there's no point about mulling over "what if's." I didn't like how Cloud was distant after the events of Final Fantasy VII, because he's already been through a lot and I wouldn't want him to spend the rest of his life over a person that's long gone. I know Clerith fans hate that whole "she's dead" excuse, but it's very true and very real. In real life, we wouldn't want the people we care about to just be a sad sack of potatoes after losing a loved one. It's not healthy, it's miserable, and it's not what the parted one would want. So the fact that I DO think Cloud loves Tifa and the fact that they've been through so much together, I could envision them as being truly happy with each other. I do think Tifa gives Cloud the opportunity to live a good life, and so that's what I wanted to end with.

Sorry if that doesn't really answer your questions! It's not the best explanation, but then again, Final Fantasy VII is as enigmatic as they come haha. Thanks again guys for the reviews! I love them all! :) And I hope you like… "Shades of Blue" as well!


	3. Chapter 3

Hi everyone! So I ended up making another one… hehe, and I finally have time to post it. Huzzah! This time, it's through Tifa and it's a bit more Cloti than "Shades of Red." Still, I hope you enjoy it. It's pretty cute. Thanks again for all the reviews from "Shades of Red!" I very much appreciate it :)

 **Shades of Blue**

To say that Tifa was thankful, was an understatement. "Blessed" was a more appropriate word, because to this day, she still felt underserving of the life and love that was gifted to her. It took a long time for her to even begin to forgive herself, but at this very moment, looking into the eyes of the person she loved the most, she started to see the actual purpose of her life on this planet—the true mission she was brought here to do. Getting undeniably lost in those wonderful blue depths, she remembered the times blue had irrevocably affected her life.

Sapphire stars. She was curious. He had summoned her to the water tower, and even though she didn't know him that well, her body seemed to have a mind of its own. Walking there and seeing the little figure from afar, she quietly thought about Cloud Strife. He was a bad kid, an outcast, an abnormal boy—or so they say. But she didn't believe it. She couldn't. For one, she didn't even know him. And her mother always told her never to judge a book by its cover. Also, she had a strange fascination with him. If she didn't know any better, he had even tried to protect her when she was in the mountains to see… She couldn't remember the details anymore and now everyone told her to stay away from him. But here she was, climbing the tower ladder to see him despite everyone's accusations. She approached him from behind, immediately quelling her laughter in seeing his prominent spiky hair. "Sorry I'm late," she said as she sat down next to him. It was quiet for a moment, and Tifa drank in the inky blue night sky, sprinkled with the dazzling sapphire stars she loved so much. Next to her, Cloud explained that he was going to leave. Surprisingly, she felt a heart-tugging sensation inside of her. He wanted to be like the great Sephiroth, he said, and that he wouldn't come home until he fulfilled his dream. During this time, her eyes continued to gaze at the sky, wondering if he'd see the same stars wherever he'd go. She sensed him behind her, and she shifted her eyes to him. This boy, this kid that she barely knew—she realized that everyone in town was wrong about him. He wanted to be brave, strong, and passionate; the makings of a hero. Forsaking the town's misjudgments and listening to her own heart, she decided she wanted Cloud Strife to be _her_ hero, because all she saw was pure goodness in him. So that night was the night they made their promise to be there for one another, and their lifelong promise was bound by the sapphire stars that blinked witness to it.

Blueberries. Tifa couldn't help but smirk as she watched from the corner of her eye as Denzel and Marlene secretly ate some of the berries that would be included in the pie that she was currently preparing. Thinking they were going to get away with it, Tifa turned around from the dough to surprise them. She chided them for eating the ingredients prematurely. Denzel and Marlene looked guilty and apologized, but Tifa smiled and said fine, they could have one and only one more blueberry. They grinned in delight and popped one more in their mouths before popping a kiss on Tifa's cheek. She watched as her children ran upstairs, saying they'd be down once the wonderful aroma of her pie wafted into their rooms. She chuckled as she turned around again to roll out the dough. Children. Her children. She didn't think she'd ever get tired of saying it. She didn't know if guardianship suited her well, and she admitted that there was still so much to learn. But each day she always prayed that she was doing things right and hoped that her best was more than enough to thoroughly show the love she had for her family. Speaking of family… Tifa couldn't help but smirk as she watched from the corner of her eye as a certain chocobo-haired man attempted to stow away a blueberry…

Icy blue. There he was. The man that set her entire town aflame, including the house she grew up in along with the only pictures she had of her mother. The monster that wiped out everyone with no remorse. The pure evil that killed her father, who laid lifeless in front of her, rendering the innocent fifteen-year-old an orphan. Orphan. Orphan. An _orphan_. Tifa literally threw up, hoping that her body would expel the horrible pain that clawed at her heart. She crawled to her dad and cradled him in her arms, sobbing his name over and over again. He would never wake up. She was going to be alone for the rest of her life, never seeing her father smile or laugh again. Never seeing her off to school, or having her dad walk her down the aisle. She already lost her mother, and now her papa was suddenly gone in the blink of an eye. Because of the silver-haired murderer that stood in front of her, with cold, glacial blue eyes that she'd never forget. Her own eyes began to quickly fill with angry tears as her mind began to cloud with absolute hatred for Sephiroth, ShinRa, and every person or machine imaginable that brought upon the end to the only remaining family connection she had. Grabbing Masamune off the floor, she charged Sephiroth, He turned around and faced her, those dreadful eyes looking at her with sickening amusement. They struggled for control of the blade, but before she knew it, she felt the sword pierce her skin and sent her flying down the stairs. The last thing she saw were those icy blue eyes piercing her much deeper than Masamune itself.

Deep blue. The lake was calm as she watched Cloud slowly walk into it, holding the body of the life that was lost. The sunlight pierced through the structures and trees of the Forgotten Capital, attempting to reach Tifa and comfort her with warmth. But she didn't feel it. She felt cold, as she saw the serenity of the deep blue lake disturbed with ripples as Cloud laid their beloved friend to rest. Not standing it anymore, Tifa turned away and walked a distance in hopes to be alone. How many people have died on her behalf? How many people did she fail to protect? The people she loved so much, how many times did she have to watch them die before her very eyes? Why Aerith? Why couldn't it have been her instead? Aerith was a gentle soul, a friend that quickly became family due to Aerith's ability to radiate love and tenderness wherever she went. And now her family was gone yet again, leaving her more alone than ever. Tifa collapsed to the ground, and her body shook from overwhelming guilt and helplessness. She was an awful human being—still the weak and pitiful person that couldn't even avenge her father five years ago; that was still one moment too late to make a difference. What was the point of traversing this entire continent if she couldn't stop ShinRa or Sephiroth from ending more lives? Thoughts twisted and turned in her head, similar to the horrible feeling her stomach was doing as well. Tears spilled freely down her cheeks, and she didn't know how long she was like this until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she looked at Cloud, seeing the same miserable guilt in his expression as well. Both of them broke down, mourning the loss of every person they loved and ultimately failed.

Electric blue. She could spend forever looking into them. She will spend forever looking at them, she thought softly to herself as she remembered the ring on her finger and the second important promise they made in Aerith's church. Their wedding was small and simple, but breathtaking and heartfelt. Tifa could never forget those electric blue eyes that fell on her as Barret walked her down the aisle, despite the fact that everyone else's mirthful eyes were zeroed in on the burly grown man balling next to her. She's known those electric blue eyes all her life, and the owner of those eyes have time and time again protected her and supported her. Now they were softly gazing into her own. Cloud and Tifa laid on their bed, with Cloud caressing the ring on her finger, both of them still unable to grasp how lucky they were to have each other and be the guardians of two amazing kids. They've been through so much together that the trust and love that they shared was strong, unquestionable, and unyielding. Cloud was the most important person in her life, and she knew that he felt the same way. With those thoughts in mind, she began to wonder how he would react to a certain change... Smiling a bit mischievously, she laid a finger on his chin to gain his attention. "Cloud, you know you mean so much to me right?" He kissed her forehead in response, needing no words to tell her how he felt. "Well, how would you feel if you became the _second_ most important person in my life?" He raised his eyebrows in confusion. Tifa's eyes grew sincere, as she began to deliver the news that would change their lives forever.

Blue chocobo. The journey to defeat Sephiroth wasn't always completely stressful or bad. Of course the hard battles, the scars and injuries, and the long days were overwhelming. Plus, Tifa could never forget Aerith; her dearly departed friend would always have a huge impact on her life and held a special place in her heart. There were many things that changed her life, but to say that it was all negative wasn't the truth. Never once did Tifa think that she would travel the entire world, see new places and meet the people she loves now, or save the planet from total annihilation. With the bad, came the good, and Tifa had to remind herself of that whenever she looked back on those harrowing days. To help, Tifa often told bed time stories to Denzel and Marlene, and each time the two kids would be entranced listening to her experiences. "Did you really get to ride a chocobo?" Marlene had asked excitedly. "Yes," Tifa responded. "In fact, I was in a chocobo race. You should have seen it. Me on a golden chocobo." The children's eyes turned wide as saucers, and they showered Tifa with all kinds of questions. "My favorite was the blue chocobo," Tifa said. "It was so beautiful with its oceanic plumage, and very fast." Before the kids got too restless, she decided to end it there and tuck them into bed, much to their disappointment. When she left the room, she spotted Cloud leaning against the wall with a small smile on his face. "What is it?" She asked. "Why'd you like chocobo racing?" he replied with a question of his own. She thought about it, and said, "Well… to be honest, it was a good distraction from what we had to do. It made me remember that there were still things in life worth fighting for—things that made us happy, or that's fun to do just because. It made me feel… a little normal I suppose." He stared long at her, and she cupped his face in her hands. "There are a lot of things I regret," Tifa started. "But if I had to do it all over again, I think I would…" Cloud was surprised and asked her why. "Because it led me to this moment," she whispered as she captured his lips with her own. Yes, there were definitely things in life worth fighting for, and Cloud Strife was one of them.

Baby blue. Never did she think that she would fall in love with someone at first sight. Even with Cloud, the husband she loved with all her heart, wasn't an easy process. They were posed with many trials, and those trials would've destroyed most people. But those hardships were the reason why her and Cloud were so strong; the reason why they trusted each other. It was that trust and loving affection that brought Tifa to this incredible point in time, as she peers down into the blue eyes of her newborn son. He has his father's eyes, but the blueness is more striking and more memorable. His eyes searched for her and when her son laid his beautiful baby blues on her, an instant connection occurred. It's her son that she fell in love with at first sight, and the love she had for him, Tifa couldn't help but cry out of pure joy and happiness. Cloud, stood behind her in awe, as he reached down to grasp his son's tiny fingers, feeling those small digits wrap around his own index finger. _His_ son. _Their_ son. Tifa now understood why she was here on this planet. She committed a lot of sins in the past, and she didn't know if she'd ever receive the forgiveness for failing the people she cared about—her father, Zack, Jessie, Biggs, Wedge, Sector 7, Aerith… But she vowed on her own life to always be there for the life that entered this world. Tifa would never let him down and she would always be there for him through both his failures and his achievements. She would raise him to be brave like his father, witty and loyal like her friends, compassionate like Aerith, abundantly happy like his siblings, and hopeful like his mother. She vowed to love the most important person in her life: their son.


End file.
